Pure Christianity

Seeking what you would do

Johnny & I are simple people. At least, we try, and we think of ourselves that way. We aren't trying to build a 'big ministry' or get a 'name for ourselves.' We just want to help people.

With that said, it brings us to a place where we are searching. We are praying about how to go about getting a place here in Nakuru that we can settle in, call  home, farm, build whatever is needed on, change whatever, and it'll all benefit A Future and a Hope and our Kenyan community....without worrying about whether the landlord will approve or whether the expense is worth 'giving to the landlord' after we move, (there's no way a landlord would reimburse us here in Kenya). I guess what I am trying to say is, we would like something permanent so we can use it to help others as we see fit.

Recently, Johnny said to me, "Kate, if you think we should get our own property, then write down a plan."

Well, honestly, I thought about it, and I have no idea what the plan should be, and I thought I'd just open this up for discussion. What would YOU do?

If you were us, would YOU look for a place without having any money to buy it, and then just hope to get the money for it later, or would you wait for a 'money miracle' to happen, and then after that miracle, look for a place?

Or perhaps we shouldn't try to find our own place. Perhaps we should continue renting?

So send us your thoughts. We'd love to hear them!

~Kate Brooks

Super Cool Editors Note: I (Johnny) created this poll on Twitter:

Totally Random Question of the Week

American Dream?

Quote of the Week

“For the Christian, heaven is where Jesus is. We do not need to speculate on what heaven will be like. It is enough to know that we will be for ever with Him.”

William Barclay

Boy or Girl?

Life

This morning Kate and I will be heading out to have an ultrasound and see if we can determine the gender of the child she is carrying on the inside. (We have already figured out the genders of those on the outside.)

Ever since that night she told me about the pregnancy, I have been pondering life. You know we get this idea in our heads, that we are responsible for the creation of life. We think that our actions conceived this child, therefore we created it.

I don’t think so. Seems arrogant to me. Sure Kate and I were the vessels that God chose to use to manufacture the body, but we did not give it life. Only the Creator can breathe life into his children. Biology does not equal life. Without the breath of God there can be no life. I’m talking about abundant life, you know the stuff that Jesus talked about. Not the science of life, that is another topic.

I have been present at all my children’s birthing, and not once did I breathe life into them. It came from the Spirit.

So yes we are involved in the creative process, but we are not the masters.

 

 

Johnny Brooks, We should be announcing sometime today what it is the scan shows us.

Guess!

I've never gone for an ultrasound scan to determine baby's gender before, and  yet tomorrow, I get the pleasure of doing just that so it'll be a first for us.

Just for the sake of having a little fun, I thought I'd ask you guys to post your guess, boy or girl, as a comment here, and hopefully by Thursday we'll have an answer for us all! :) (If you've already guessed on FB, no need to do it here unless you want to.)

~Kate

Peace?

The headline in the most widely read daily newspaper here in Kenya is; “Army ready for attack.” The armed forces here are planning for an invasion by Somali extremists. The extremists are attempting to stop Kenya from deploying troops on a peacekeeping mission in Somali.

When will we ever be able to live in peace? When will we realize that Jesus does not advocate using violence? When will we see that violence only hurts the innocent? I am afraid that day will never come. Till then we attempt to follow Jesus’ teaching, that blessed are the peacemakers. We do not have influence over governments, but we do have influence over the children and individuals that God brings to us.

One person at a time is how we are promoting peace. We respond to violence with love. We thank everyone who helps make this mission of peace possible by your donations. Without you we could not care for the 15 orphans (8 girls and 6 boys,) feed the hungry, care for the sick, defend the oppressed, and otherwise preach the Gospel of Peace here in Kenya.

Thank you and we pray many blessings on you.

Johnny Brooks

MY OWN WORST ENEMY

My grandmother raised me and she always had tons of plants around. I too have lots of plants as a way to keep her memory alive and because I love them also. The other day, I was looking at my favorite plants and it dawned on me that they look like beautiful potted plants in their current level of growth, but the favorites I have happen to actually be trees that grow very large and whose stems turn into bark on the outside if given big enough pots and the right conditions. I began to wonder how much of my own life was like these plants. These plants can grow, to a point, but will not achieve their all unless I am willing to continually make the investment required to purchase larger pots and to do the hard work of transplanting them and adding in the extra dirt and nutrients. I have known in my heart that it’s time for them to be transplanted but week after week, I’m content to do it “next time” or not at all. So, things stay the same while I only do what’s needed to keep them in their current stage of development.

How much do we limit ourselves by simply being content where we are and not being willing to do the work and confront the hardships required to reach our full potential, beauty, and contribution in the world to others?

James M the 2nd

Totally Random Question of the Week

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